Application of schmidt hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity for structural integrity assessment in water dams

Abstract

This study investigates the integration of Schmidt Hammer Rebound Numbers and Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) measurements to estimate the compressive strength of reinforced concrete in water dam structures. Unlike previous studies that rely solely on controlled laboratory correlations, this work uniquely incorporates core samples extracted from critical dam components—including spillways, culverts, sedimentation tanks, and stilling basins—to address variations arising from in-situ conditions. The empirical correlation models were developed using forty-five cube specimens of five distinct concrete mixes and refined through compressive strength testing of fourteen extracted cores. The findings demonstrate that while Schmidt Hammer provides reliable surface strength estimations, UPV offers deeper insight into material heterogeneity and internal variability. Integrating both methods with core-derived calibration enhances the accuracy of field strength estimations, bridging the gap between laboratory-controlled conditions and real-world applications. This approach ensures more reliable assessments of dam infrastructure, contributing to improved non-destructive testing methodologies for large-scale structural evaluations. The study underscores the necessity of incorporating in-situ validation when developing strength estimation models, thereby improving the practical applicability of non-destructive testing in structural health monitoring.